*What sort of experiments are animals used for?
Animals are used to test the safety of products to evaluate the risk of routine and accidental exposure to different products. Researchers look for the potential of a product to cause cancer, birth defects, and other abnormalities. The two most controversial tests are types of acute-toxicity tests including the Draize eye irritancy tests, and the LD50. The Draize tests use rabbits to estimate the damage a substance could cause to an eye. To complete the test the rabbit’s eye remains untreated for seven days and doctors score the severity of the problems. The LD50 (Lethal Dose 50%) attempts to approximate the amount of a substance needed to kill 50% of a group of test animals. Animals are used to test the safety of products to evaluate the risk of routine and accidental exposure to different products. Researchers look for the potential of a product to cause cancer, birth defects, and other abnormalities. The two most controversial tests are types of acute-toxicity tests including the Draize eye irritancy tests, and the LD50. The Draize tests use rabbits to estimate the damage a substance could cause to an eye. To complete the test the rabbit’s eye remains untreated for seven days and doctors score the severity of the problems. The LD50 (Lethal Dose 50%) attempts to approximate the amount of a substance needed to kill 50% of a group of test animals. *What are the alternatives to animal testing?
‘In Vitro’ Tests: Scientists can examine human cells or tissues in test tubes to study disease, test drugs and manufacture vaccines. Computer models: These can be used to screen potential drugs at an early stage in their development. Clinical studies: This alternative involves monitoring illnesses in human patients. Epidemiology: This is the study and comparison of groups of people to learn what causes health problems. Postmortem studies: Examining bodies of deceased people can help scientists come to conclusions about the way products will react with them. Prevention: It is important to educate people about healthy living to prevent disease in the first place.
*What types of animals are used? 87% are mice and rats because they are small, cheap, and easy to breed. Guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs, monkey’s, birds, reptiles, pigs, sheep, cattle, chickens, horses and fish. *How many animals are used? In 2004, British laboratories used around 2.8 million animals for experiments. This figure does not include ‘wasted’ animals (those bred so that parts of their bodies can be used for research), animals rejected because they weren’t right for an experiment, or animals that were excess than what was required for the experiment. If those would be included in the statistic, the number could increase by millions. *What products are tested? Products that are intended for the public such as: -Vaccines - Cosmetics -Shampoo -Food additives -Household cleaners
-Pesticides -Chemicals -Fabric treatments *Are animals here for the benefit of humans? It is not the responsibility of an innocent animal to have to undergo torturous treatments to find out how harmful certain substances are. By using the alternative methods listed above the horrendous treatment of millions of animals throughout the world could be eliminated. Animals are not here to benefit humans, and should not be treated in such an inhumane way. *Should animals be used for product testing and medical research? As we stated in the above question, human use of household products is not worth the torture or death of innocent animals. Although medical research seems like a more important cause there are other alternatives to this type of research. *Should animals be used for psychological testing? We believe that animals can be used for this type of testing as long as no harm has been done to the animal. It is important the companies using animals for these types of experiments do not use any foreign substances to come to their conclusions. *Should animal organs be available for human transplants? It is not okay, in our opinion to kill an innocent animal just for its organs. If an animal however is suffering and will be killed anyway and some organs can be used for the benefits of humans, it is okay for those parts to be used.
Animal Testing Video: Video
Works Cited:
1. 29 Apr. <www.animalaid.org.uk/images/pdf/factfiles/exp.pdf>.
2. 30 Mar. <www.wikipedia.com>.
Animal Testing:
*What sort of experiments are animals used for?
Animals are used to test the safety of products to evaluate the risk of routine and accidental exposure to different products. Researchers look for the potential of a product to cause cancer, birth defects, and other abnormalities. The two most controversial tests are types of acute-toxicity tests including the Draize eye irritancy tests, and the LD50. The Draize tests use rabbits to estimate the damage a substance could cause to an eye. To complete the test the rabbit’s eye remains untreated for seven days and doctors score the severity of the problems. The LD50 (Lethal Dose 50%) attempts to approximate the amount of a substance needed to kill 50% of a group of test animals. Animals are used to test the safety of products to evaluate the risk of routine and accidental exposure to different products. Researchers look for the potential of a product to cause cancer, birth defects, and other abnormalities. The two most controversial tests are types of acute-toxicity tests including the Draize eye irritancy tests, and the LD50. The Draize tests use rabbits to estimate the damage a substance could cause to an eye. To complete the test the rabbit’s eye remains untreated for seven days and doctors score the severity of the problems. The LD50 (Lethal Dose 50%) attempts to approximate the amount of a substance needed to kill 50% of a group of test animals.
*What are the alternatives to animal testing?
‘In Vitro’ Tests: Scientists can examine human cells or tissues in test tubes to study disease, test drugs and manufacture vaccines.
Computer models: These can be used to screen potential drugs at an early stage in their development.
Clinical studies: This alternative involves monitoring illnesses in human patients.
Epidemiology: This is the study and comparison of groups of people to learn what causes health problems.
Postmortem studies: Examining bodies of deceased people can help scientists come to conclusions about the way products will react with them.
Prevention: It is important to educate people about healthy living to prevent disease in the first place.
*What types of animals are used?
87% are mice and rats because they are small, cheap, and easy to breed. Guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs, monkey’s, birds, reptiles, pigs, sheep, cattle, chickens, horses and fish.
*How many animals are used?
In 2004, British laboratories used around 2.8 million animals for experiments. This figure does not include ‘wasted’ animals (those bred so that parts of their bodies can be used for research), animals rejected because they weren’t right for an experiment, or animals that were excess than what was required for the experiment. If those would be included in the statistic, the number could increase by millions.
*What products are tested?
Products that are intended for the public such as:
-Vaccines
- Cosmetics
-Shampoo
-Food additives
-Household cleaners
-Pesticides
-Chemicals
-Fabric treatments
*Are animals here for the benefit of humans?
It is not the responsibility of an innocent animal to have to undergo torturous treatments to find out how harmful certain substances are. By using the alternative methods listed above the horrendous treatment of millions of animals throughout the world could be eliminated. Animals are not here to benefit humans, and should not be treated in such an inhumane way.
*Should animals be used for product testing and medical research?
As we stated in the above question, human use of household products is not worth the torture or death of innocent animals. Although medical research seems like a more important cause there are other alternatives to this type of research.
*Should animals be used for psychological testing?
We believe that animals can be used for this type of testing as long as no harm has been done to the animal. It is important the companies using animals for these types of experiments do not use any foreign substances to come to their conclusions.
*Should animal organs be available for human transplants?
It is not okay, in our opinion to kill an innocent animal just for its organs. If an animal however is suffering and will be killed anyway and some organs can be used for the benefits of humans, it is okay for those parts to be used.
Animal Testing Video:
Video
Works Cited:
1. 29 Apr. <www.animalaid.org.uk/images/pdf/factfiles/exp.pdf>.
2. 30 Mar. <www.wikipedia.com>.